System for storage and utilization



Feb. 2, 1943. c, MacSPORRAN 2,309,854

. SYSTEM FOR STORAGE AND UTILIZATION OF FUEL GASES Filed April 21, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 1- INVENTOR CHARLES MACSPORRAN Feb. 2, 1943. c. MaOSPORRAN' SYSTEM FOR STORAGE AND UTILIZATION OF FUEL GASES Filed April 21, 1941 s Sheets-sheaf. 2

INVENTOR F G 2 CHARLES MACSPORRAN Feb. 2, 1 943. c. MacsPoRRANm 2,309,854

SYSTEM FOR STORAGE AND UTILIZATION OF FUEL GASES Filed April 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3 V

CHARLES MACSPORRAN ATTORNE Patented Feb. 2, 1943 SYSTEM FOR STORAGE AND UTILIZATION OF FUEL GASES Charles MacSporran, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Application April 21, 1941, Serial No. 389,642

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a system for storing and utilizing volatile liquids and liquefied gases.

Liquefied petroleum gases, especially propane. butane, and mixtures of the two, are extensively marketed for use as fuel in communities where natural gas is not available. In making use of this liquefied gas for operating gas-consuming appliances, it is customary to provide the customer with one or more containers for storage of the liquefied gas and means for establishing connection between the containers and a service line through a suitable arrangement of valves and pressure regulators. Those installations, in which a single container is used, hereafter referred to as a one-drum system, usually comprise a large container which is refilled from a tank'truck by a'service man. Two types of systems employing a plurality of containers are widely used; one, the two-drum system and the position for use by the customer. They also re quire the attention of a skilled service man occasionally for repairs and adjustments, especially of the valves. The self-service system requires very little attention other than that which the customer must give it to insure an unfailing gas supply. The valves which are most subject to other, the self-service system. In the two- 213 the container and the customers service pipe drum system the customer is provided with two involves the use of a flexible coupling which is cylinders, each containing a quantity of liquefied subject to deterioration and which may become gas sufficient to last the customer for a considerhazardous if not given suflicient and proper atable period of time. One of the cylinders is used tention. as an active source of gas supply while the other An object of this invention is to provide an cylinder is held in reserve until the first cylinder improved system for storage and utilization of 'is exhausted. When one cylinder is emptied, a volatile liquids and liquefied gases. change-over of withdrawal connections is made Another object of this invention is to provide and the reserve cylinder placed into service. such a system which is especially applicable to During the time this second cylinder is in service, so self-service. supplying gas, the empty cylinder is replaced A further object of this invention is to provide with a filled cylinder. -Due to the size and weight a system which will require little or no attention 01' the cylinders, and the necessity of skill and other than to replenish the supply of liquefied care ininstalling them properly, they are servgas. iced and handled by service men. The seli- 35 Figure l is an elevational view, partly in verservice system which has been developed, opertical cross-section, of apparatus of this invenates on the same principles as the two-drum tion. system. The customer is provided with two or Figure 2 is an elevational view, partly in vermore containers which he replaces with filled tical cross-section, of a modification of the appacontainers when they become emptied. The self- 40 ratus of Figure 1. service system, however, employs small con- Figure 3 is an elevational view of the dispenstalners which the customer can easily handle ing system with which the apparatus of Figure and the valves, connections, etc., are so im- 1 is used. proved and simplified that even the inexperi- Figure 4 is a plan view of the supporting memenced may make the connections and adjustber used with the present system. ments necessary to place the containers in oper With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, atlve position. The customer buys the liquefied the reference numeral 5 designates a container gas in a suitable container from his dealer, for liquefied gases, the contents of which are to r nsports it to the place of service, uses the gas be dispensed from the container as a liquid. The formed by vaporization of the Hquefied gas, and liquid feed or flash vaporization method of disreturns the empty containers to the dealer. pensing liquefied petroleum gases is known in the The disadvantages of the one-drum systems art. Attached to the wall of a building or to any and the two-drum systems are that they require siutable supporting surface, not shown in the the attention of a service man to deliver the drawings, and extending outwardly therefrom is a closed U shaped supporting member 6; Verliquefied gas to the place of use and put it in tical guides l are attached to the supporting member at spaced intervals and to horizontal cross-bars 8. The horizontal cross-bars intersect at an adapter 9. The adapter 9 is bored on several diameters forming a passageway therethrough, and is threaded at it A push-pin regulator ll similar to that disclosed in the Patent No. 2,245,485 to Kenneth R. Lewis, issued June 10, 1941, is connected to the adapter by the threaded coupling member E2. The push-pin l3 of the regulator extends through the cylindrical opening [4 in the adapter; preferably the pushpin is square or hexagonal in cross-section providing passageways between the push-pin and the cylindrical opening 14. The conduit i5 01 the regulator is pressed firmly against the resilient gasket is in the adapter by the coupling member [2 maintaining sealing relationship between the conduit and the adapter. The adapter is provided with a large cylindrical bore H at its upper end which contains a gasket l8. Attached to the bottom of the container 5 and extending therethrough is a valved connector i9 which is secured in the container in any suitable manner, for example, by welding. The connector 59 contains a valve 2%, preferably a self-closing valve of the tire valve core or similar type.

When the container is in position for withdrawal of its contents as in Figure 1 of the drawings, the connector E9 of the container makes sealing engagement with the gasket 18 in the adapter. When connection is established between the cylinder 5 and the regulator Ii in this manner, the push-pin I3 opens the valve 26, allowing liquid from the container to enter the regulator. The liquid discharged from the regulator fiows through an outlet pipe 2i to auxiliary equipment, not shown in the figure, where it is vaporized before passing to the gas consuming appliances. In operation, liquid from the cylinder 5 fiows through the connector i9 and adapter When the container is in the position shown in the drawings the connector 32 makes sealing engagement with the gasket 40 in the adapter 34. The push-pin regulator H is attached to the adapter by means of conduit 4!. The push-pin 42 of the regulator actuates the valve 36 of the connector allowing gas from the tube 38 to flow through the connector and adapter into the regulator l i and through the pipe 43 to the customer's gas-consuming appliances.

In operation, gas from the container 30 is withdrawn through the pipe 43 as required by the 9 through the regulator I into the pipe 21 as required. When the cylinder 5 is empty, the customer lifts the cylinder ofi adapter 9 thereby allowing the valve to close. The empty container is then replaced with a filled container.

The guard ring 22 on the base of the container surrounds the connector l9 providing protection against damage to the connector during transportation. The guard ring also acts as a supporting base for the container when transported or stored. The top of the container is provided with an outlet connection 23 which is attached to the container by welding. Within the outlet is a tap plug 24 in which is incorporated the usual safety devices comprising the fuse plug 25 and the safety relief valve 2%. Attached to the outlet 23 are carrying handlesZ'i for convenience in transporting in the container. The regulator H is protected from the weather by the protective housing 29 which is open on the under side to allow access to the regulator and its associated fittings.

Figure 2 is a modification of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. Attached to the bottom of the container 30 is a tap plug 3| into which the connector 32 is screw-threaded. Sealing engagement between the tap plug and the connector is made by the gasket 33. The adapter 34 is attached to the horizontal cross-bars 8 of the supporting member by bolts 35. The connector 32 contains a valve 36 of the self-closing or tire valve core type. Attached. to the connector 32 by means of the fitting 31 is a tube 33 which extends above the liquid level in the container.

consumer. Control of the flow of gas is governed by the regulator H which opens or closes the valve 36 in accordance with the demand for gas. The valve 36 acts as a throttling valve to reduce the pressure in the container to that required in the pipe 43. If desired, a secondary or second stage regulator may be interposed between the pipe 43 and the customers service line to further reduce the pressure. =When the container '30 is exhausted, it is removed from the supporting member 6 and replaced by a filled container.

Figure 3 is an elevational view showing the apparatus of Figure 1 in service in the gas dispensing system. Liquid from the container 5 is withdrawn from the bottom of the container through the regulator l l and pipe 2| to a vaporizer 45. The liquid is vaporized and the vapors passed through the outlet pipe 46 and valve 41 to the second stage regulator 48. The second stage regulator discharges into the customers service pipe 49 in accordance with the demand for the gas by the gas-consuming appliances.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the supporting memher 6 showing the relationship of the various horizontal and vertical members I and 8 which position and support the container relative to the adapter and withdrawal connections.

The disadvantages of the present self-service systems, that is, the use of flexible couplings, is eliminated by the novel method by which connection is made between the self-service container and the pressure regulator attached to the customers service pipe. It is to be understood that tWo or more containers may be used simultaneously to provide continuous and uninterrupted service of fuel during the interim required for replacing an empty container with a filled one. 7

I claim:

1. Equipment for storing and dispensing liquefied gas comprising a portable container having an opening in the bottom wall thereof, a connector secured in said opening, a dispensing passage in said connector, a valve for closingsaid dispensing passage, a tap plug in the top of said container, a valved pressure relief passage in said tap plug, a second passage in said tap plug, and means normally closing said second passage and responsiue to abnormal temperatures to open the said second passage. 7

2. Equipment for storing and dispensing liqueq fied gas comprising a portable container having an opening in the bottom wall thereof, a connector secured in said opening, a dispensing passage in said connector, a tube attached to said connector in the interior of the container in com munication with the said dispensing passage and terminating 'above the normal liquid level in the container, and a valve for closing said dispense mg passage.

3. Equipment for storing and dispensing liquefied gas comprising a portable container having a a d u d d spensing outlet in one wall there of, a tap plug in said container, a valved pressure relief passage in said tap plug, a second passage in said tap plug, means normally closing said second passage and responsive to abnormal temperatures to open the said second passage, and carrying handles attached to said tap p ug.

4. A system for storing and utilizing liquefied gas comprising a support, an adapter attached to the support, a pressure regulator associated with the adapter, a delivery pipe connected to ,the pressure regulator, a container, a connector associated with the container, a self-closing valve in the connector urged into closing position by pressure in the container, means for maintaining a fluid tight connection between the adapter and the connector and means for actuating said valve to allow fluid from the container to flow through the connector and the adapter to the delivery pipe.

5. A system for storing and utilizing liquefied gas comprising a container having an opening in the bottom thereof, a connector secured in said opening, a dispensing passage in said connector establishing communication between the exterior and interior of the container, a self-closing valve for closing said dispensing passage and openable against pressure in the container, a supporting member for positioning and supporting .the container, an adapter attached to the supporting member and coacting with the connector, a passage through said adapter, a delivery pipe in communication with said adapter, and means for actuating said valve ,to allow fluid from the container to flow through the connector and the adapter to the delivery pipe.

6. A system for storing and utilizing liquefied gas comprising a container having an opening in the bottom thereof, a connector secured in said opening, a dispensing passage in said connector establishing communication between the exterior and interior of the container, a self-closing valve for closing said dispensing passage and openable against pressure in the container, a supporting member for positioning and supporting the container, an adapter attached to ,the supporting member and coacting with the connector, a passage through said adapter, a pushpin pressure regulator associated with the adapter, and a dispensing pipe attached to the regulator, the push-pin of the pressure regulator extending through the adapter and coacting with said valve to actuate the same.

77 A system for storing and utilizing liquefied gas comprising a container having an opening in the bottom thereof, a connector secured in said opening, a support, an adapter attached to the support and coacting with the connector, a passage through said adapter, a delivery pipe in communication with said adapter, a dispensing passage in said connector establishing communication between the exterior and interior of the container, a tube attached to said connector in the interior of the container in communication with said dispensing passage and terminating above the normal liquid level in the container, a selfclosing valve for closing said dispensing passage and openable against pressure in the container, and means for actuating said valve to allow fluid from the container to flow through the connector and adapter .to the delivery pipe.

CHARLES MACSPORRAN. 

